1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to intravenous (I/V) administration apparatus, and, more particularly, to I/V apparatus especially adapted for retaining an I/V needle in a desired position on a patient""s extremity.
2. Description of the Prior Art
When an I/V needle is in a patient""s extremity, such as a patient""s arm, it is important that the I/V needle not be moved or dislodged from its intravenous position in the patient. Patients who are children often have a special propensity for disturbing an I/V needle from its desired intravenous position. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided that can be used with young patients to retain an I/V needle in a desired intravenous position.
Presently, to retain an I/V needle in a desired intravenous position in a patient""s forearm, a hard board splint is placed under the forearm, and a portion of the I/V apparatus, the patient""s forearm, and the splint are taped together. Yet, even with this splint technique, the portion of the I/V needle that is outside the patient""s arm can be touched or disturbed by the patient. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided that covers the portion of the I/V needle that is outside the patient""s arm so as to prevent the patient from touching or disturbing the I/V needle.
Another difficulty that may arise from using the splint technique just described is related to the accessibility to the patient of the portion of the I/V line that is near the I/V needle. If the portion of the I/V line that is near the I/V needle is pulled, such pulling may disturb the portion of the I/V needle that is in the patient. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided that protects the portion of the I/V line that is adjacent to the I/V needle from being pulled by the patient.
Even if the portion of the I/V line adjacent to the I/V needle is protected from interference by the patient, there is the possibility that if the I/V line is pulled on a significant distance away from the I/V needle, the pulling force can be transmitted through the I/V line to the I/V needle. To prevent such forces on the I/V line from being transmitted along the I/V line to the I/V needle, it would be desirable if a device were provided that blocks a distal pulling force on an I/V line from being transmitted through the I/V line to the I/V needle.
Still other features would be desirable in a patient mounted I/V protector apparatus. For example, it would be desirable if an I/V protector apparatus could be easily fixed to an removed from a patient""s forearm. It would also be desirable if an I/V protector apparatus were ornamented with attractive decorations, such as cartoon characters, which are appealing to children. Also, it would be desirable if an I/V protector apparatus could be written upon to receive personalized messages or signatures of friends and loved ones.
It is noted that the present inventor has patented U.S. Pat. No. 6,042,568, incorporated herein by reference. The patient mounted I/V protector apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,042,568 provides for straps and well known VELCRO((trademark)) material located on the outside of limb reception portions. Being on the outside of the limb reception portions, the straps and VELCRO((trademark)) material can be tampered with by children""s hands. As a result, a persistent child may be able to disconnect the straps and remove the top limb reception portion from the bottom limb reception portion to expose the I/V connection to the child. In this respect, it would be desirable if a patient mounted I/V protector apparatus were provided which precludes a child from disconnecting a top limb reception portion from a bottom limb reception portion.
To further improve the security of the patient mounted I/V protector apparatus, it would be desirable if when the top limb reception portion is connected to the bottom limb reception portion in such a way that a key is needed to disconnect the top limb reception portion from the bottom limb reception portion.
For ease of fitting the top limb reception portion onto the bottom limb reception portion, it would be desirable if the top limb reception portion were connected to the bottom limb reception portion, in part, by a hinge or pivoting motion.
For ease of securing the top limb reception portion to the bottom limb reception portion, it would be desirable if the top limb reception portion has a snap lock connection to the bottom limb reception portion.
Thus, while the foregoing indicates it to be well known to use a splint to protect an I/V needle in a patient, the foregoing does not teach or suggest a patient mounted I/V protector apparatus which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) can be used with young patients to retain an I/V needle in a desired intravenous position; (2) covers the portion of the I/V needle that is outside the patient""s arm so as to prevent the patient from touching or disturbing the I/V needle; (3) protects the portion of the I/V line that is adjacent to the I/V needle from being pulled by the patient; (4) blocks a distal pulling force on an I/V line from being transmitted through the I/V line to the I/V needle; (5) can be easily fixed to an removed from a patient""s forearm; (6) can be ornamented with attractive decorations, such as cartoon characters, which are appealing to children; (7) can be written upon to receive personalized messages or signatures of friends and loved ones; (8) precludes a child from disconnecting a top limb reception portion from a bottom limb reception portion; (9) needs a key to disconnect the top limb reception portion from the bottom limb reception portion; (10) provides that the top limb reception portion is connected to the bottom limb reception portion, in part, by a hinge or pivoting motion; and (11) provides a snap lock connection between the top limb reception portion and the bottom limb reception portion. The foregoing desired characteristics are provided by the unique patient mounted I/V protector apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.
To achieve the foregoing and other advantages, the present invention, briefly described, provides a patient mounted I/V protector apparatus which includes first limb reception portion which is placed under a patient""s arm. The first limb reception portion includes locking finger reception channels. A second limb reception portion is connected to the first limb reception portion. The second limb reception portion includes locking fingers which are placed in registration with the locking finger reception channels for locking the second limb reception portion to the first limb reception portion. When the first limb reception portion and the second limb reception portion are connected together on a patient""s arm, an I/V needle and tubing connected to the patient""s arm is prevented from being disturbed by the patient.
The first limb reception portion includes straps for securing the patient""s arm to the first limb reception portion. Each of the straps includes strap ends, wherein one of the strap ends includes a quantity of a hook-or-loop connector and another of the strap ends includes a quantity of complimentary loop-or-hook connector.
The locking fingers are flexible. The locking fingers include barbed finger ends. The locking finger reception channels include barb engagement ledges for engaging the barbed finger ends. The locking fingers are located on a front side of the second limb reception portion, and the locking finger reception channels and the barb engagement ledges are located on a front side of the first limb reception portion. Key reception channels are adjacent to the locking finger reception channels in the first limb reception portion. One or more unlocking keys are provided, each of which includes an unlocking end and a handle end. The unlocking ends are received in the key reception channels.
Guide pins project upward from a rear side of the first limb reception portion. Guide slots are located on a rear side of the second limb reception portion. The guide slots are registrable with the guide pins. Hinge pins are supported horizontally on the rear side of the first limb reception portion, and hinge-engagement members are supported on the rear side of the second limb reception portion. Each of the hinge-engagement members includes a hinge-pin-reception well for being placed in registration with and for receiving a hinge pin.
An I/V tubing support member projects upward from the first limb reception portion, and tubing securement members are attached to the I/V tubing support member. The I/V tubing support member includes a tubing reception channel. The second limb reception portion includes ventilation channels. An arm-reception cushion is supported on the first limb reception portion.
The above brief description sets forth rather broadly the more important features of the present invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contributions to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will be for the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining a preferred embodiment of the invention in detail, it is understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood, that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for designing other structures, methods, and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved patient mounted I/V protector apparatus which has all of the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved patient mounted I/V protector apparatus which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved patient mounted I/V protector apparatus which is of durable and reliable construction.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved patient mounted I/V protector apparatus which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such patient mounted I/V protector apparatus available to the buying public.
Still yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved patient mounted I/V protector apparatus which can be used with young patients to retain an I/V needle in a desired intravenous position.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved patient mounted I/V protector apparatus that covers the portion of the I/V needle that is outside the patient""s arm so as to prevent the patient from touching or disturbing the I/V needle.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved patient mounted I/V protector apparatus which protects the portion of the I/V line that is adjacent to the I/V needle from being pulled by the patient.
Even another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved patient mounted I/V protector apparatus that blocks a distal pulling force on an I/V line from being transmitted through the I/V line to the I/V needle.
Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved patient mounted I/V protector apparatus which can be easily fixed to an removed from a patient""s forearm.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved patient mounted I/V protector apparatus that can be ornamented with attractive decorations, such as cartoon characters, which are appealing to children.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved patient mounted I/V protector apparatus which can be written upon to receive personalized messages or signatures of friends and loved ones.
Still yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved patient mounted I/V protector apparatus which precludes a child from disconnecting a top limb reception portion from a bottom limb reception portion.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved patient mounted I/V protector apparatus that needs a key to disconnect the top limb reception portion from the bottom limb reception portion.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved patient mounted I/V protector apparatus which provides that the top limb reception portion is connected to the bottom limb reception portion, in part, by a hinge or pivoting motion.
Even another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved patient mounted I/V protector apparatus that provides a snap lock connection between the top limb reception portion and the bottom limb reception portion.
These together with still other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.